Nine
by Amber Masquerade
Summary: Soul never wanted to play the Papa. He never even imagined, not even in the back of his mind, what disastrous things lay ahead of him when she uttered those words: "I'm pregnant." Now he was stuck on a nine month journey of pain, torture and waiting. SoulxMaka one-shot, T for language.


He'd been noticing that she'd been PMS-ing more than usual, more than her cycle called for. Whining, grumpiness, bitch-fits, complaints. She said she was having cramps, more than her usual cycle. She bothered him everyday, more and more, grating his nerves. He'd always be able to put up with her constant nagging, but now it had been becoming unbearable. Even though they had been on the earth for 20 years now, he guessed he would never live to see his 21st birthday.

When their bickering had become stale enough for him and their arguments repeated themselves over and over and they would both reside, he could already feel their relationship starting to pull apart. It's been seven years since they first decided to become partners, knowing that they had to share all of their pain, dreams, and room together. When he first laid his eyes on her, he never thought of any of the shit he'd be getting into. But it wasn't until he came home from shopping for her girl commodities and she slowly emerged from the bathroom, a spark of excitement flashing in her two emerald eyes, did he realize how much _actual _shit he'd gotten himself into.

"Soul," she began with a confident whisper and a slight smile as she slowly approached him, an unmistakable pen-looking thing dangling from one hand: the thing that had a bright blue plus mark on one side that proved she tested positive and would seal his fate for the rest of his life.

"I'm pregnant."

* * *

**Month 1**

He looked at her as if she said that the sky would fall down above their heads. He thought it was a joke at first, until she proudly held up the pregnancy tester with a distinct, blue plus sign that showed that she was indeed expecting. She could still work at the DWMA, as she has always done. But she was fragile now. She couldn't go out and fight bad guys like the good old days because she didn't want to risk it. She was carrying precious cargo now, a small piece of life that was growing inside her. Their child.

He feared for his future, especially when his meister had taken a new interest - baby clothes, baby toys, baby food, on the account of Liz, who suggested that she started preparing. All of the books she had been reading before were all replaced with pregnancy and how-to manuals and 'pregnancy for idiots' novels. Maka Albarn never thought about baby things. She wasn't supposed to; it was wrong.

From now on, he decided, things would have to be slightly different. She'd admit, though, her first few weeks weren't quite the smoothest. There was cramping, tiredness, anxiety, sleepless nights, and the constant wave of nausea that overcame her every morning. But it'd all be worth it in the end she thought while going through another night without sleep, listening to the gentle snore of her sleeping partner besides her. She would get to see the face of their newborn, healthy and beautiful, with Soul by her side of the hospital bed. She'd go through all of the gut-wrenching aches and lethargy. It was normal, after all.

**Month 2**

Soul never wanted to play the Papa. He never even imagined, not even in the back of his mind, what disastrous things lay ahead of him when she uttered those words: "I'm pregnant." The thing he regretted the most, however, was the fact that him - Soul Eater Evans, also known as the famous Death-scythe - had to go to the drug store everyday and get his meister her necessities: pain medications, cases and cases of aspirin for her (and his) headaches, and most of all, her strange cravings. First it was pickles, the normal cliche, then ice cream, in which he'd have to run out in the middle of the night just to get her a particular flavor that wasn't sold in stores. But then a certain food he did not dare serve to her. "Sushi," she ordered him. "Can we have sushi tonight? For dinner?"

He snorted a response. "I thought you hated fish. You've always told me that when we were younger."

"Yeah...but I feel like having it now. I really do. Besides, I've never tried it, so I might as well..." she said. Soul sighed.

"Women," he muttered on the way to the store, "are too fickle for me..."

He watched her as she ate, saying that he wouldn't be too surprised when next month came and she'd never look at a salmon roll again for the rest of her life.

He also learned that the symptom called 'morning sickness' was not a great thing, especially when you're trying to sleep in and there's a groggy fidgety kicking mess of a woman getting up before you. Maka's been clothing shopping more lately, considering that her belly's about to swell up like a balloon. She claimed she was feeling a bit bulgy already.

**Month 3**

The doctor said their soon-to-be child was as healthy as can be and only the size of an apple. Maka's skinny little stomach is now starting to stick out slightly, to her surprise. She's glad the headaches and pain and nausea and cravings have subsided. Going to the doctor's on a regular basis have become a part of their schedule, as well as measuring around her tummy every week to see the progress. They've already had a sonogram done (or a 'whatever-the-hell-it-is,' he calls it) already, which allowed Soul and Maka to take a sneak-peek at what their child looked like. "It looks like a tiny glob," he pointed out when the image of their growing embryo appeared on the blurry screen.

He didn't notice Maka reaching out to caress his hand. "He or she is gonna be our little baby soon," she smiled tenderly, softening his gaze.

Truthfully, he didn't want to accept that he was going to be a daddy soon. He never wanted to, nor did he expect it. It just happened. He knew he'd have to give up everything he enjoyed - all of his free time would be swallowed up by the intensive care, he would be trapped in the house on Friday nights when he usually hung out with BlackStar, he would have to put up with hours and hours worth of crying, and most importantly, be able to change a diaper whenever the time came. The though of having to wipe away the smelly excretions from a baby's bum made him throw up a little. He was a doomed man from now on.

**Month 4**

There's definitely something now, he swears. Though the others don't notice and have yet to know that Maka is 4 months pregnant, his meister's stomach looks a bit bloated. Like she had too much to eat after a large meal, except she's always like that. Her old t-shirts that hugged her waist and showed off her form had a hard time fitting her. She said it would only get tighter. Soul thought it was cute how her little belly protruded like that. Gradually, it would get bigger and bigger, he knew. Every night before they slept and kissed goodnight, he would peer down at her abdomen and know that their little child was growing everyday.

One night she giggled suddenly. "What?" He asked.

Maka smiled. "I think I can feel its kicking me...Soul, it's starting to move..." Soul found himself smiling too. "Look," she said gently, guiding his hand to the top of her stomach, letting him feel the tiny and spastic movements of their soon-to-be baby, and his heart pounded suddenly. He shifted over to his partner to get a better feeling, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and leaned his head against the backboard of their bed.

"It's...cute..." he admitted and managed a kiss on the side of her head.

Inside her body, their little baby's heart was pounding away to the beat of its mother's, he thought.

**Month 5**

Their hearts drummed faster in their chests as the duo sat in the waiting room, listening for the footsteps of their doctor pounding down the hall. Today's the day. With his hand intertwined tightly with Maka's, he fidgeted in his seat uncomfortably. "Soul, we promised we wouldn't be upset with either one we got," Maka said, stroking the undeniably large bump that her stomach had become with her other hand.

"Yeah, I know. I just hate not knowing."

"We talked about this last night, remember? No matter which one, he or she will be our child. If it's a girl -"

"She'll be a stubborn, hard-headed, reckless, fat-ankled bookworm just like her mother," Soul broke in.

"And _he'll_ be a lazy, idiotic, octopus-headed jerk, just like his father," she retorted, pausing and letting their words sink in.

Soul smirked. "But she'd make the coolest partner ever."

Just about when she was about to answer, the door creaked open and the doctor poked his head through. "Maka and Soul? We're ready for you now." They exchanged restless glances.

"You ready to find out if it's a girl or a boy?" Asked the doctor who prepared for the ultrasound that would reveal its gender. It would no longer be an 'it.' She nodded uneasily and slowly, rocking back on the reclining chair, gripping Soul's hand tighter. "Okay then. Please relax." He prodded the top of Maka's bloated tummy with the probe and a black-and-white blurry image appeared on the display. Soul sucked in his breath. He rolled the probe around, moving about the image on the screen until their growing fetus was in view, then examined it for a while. Soul's breath escaped his lips, unable to keep it in his lungs.

The doctor nodded at his assistant than turned to them, whispering in Maka's ear. Her face lit up with pride. "Soul," she whispered, pulling him closer. "It's a boy."

**Month 6**

Maka's definitely pregnant now. Their boy is already a pound and growing hair. Maka can feel his anxious anticipation through his constant kicks and movements inside of her. "He wants to get into the world already," she'd say every time she cringed after receiving one of his spastic movements. Her uterus is expanding, taking up all the room in her abdomen and squeezing her stomach and other appendages. Soul jokes around, calling her fat. But he knew it wasn't actually fat. He could tell whenever he would place his hand on her firm smooth bump, or whenever he'd bring his lips close enough to kiss his new son good night.

Soul feels like he can relax now, knowing that they had made it through the rough part of the storm. All that was left is the part where he comes out, then he'd be a finally be a father. Although the doctor's waiting room began to take up most of their free time, he's glad that each report comes back good. Their baby is healthy, his heart is beating, he's growing as expected, there's no problem at all. Maka's had to play her part, too, exercising lightly on a daily basis, eating healthy foods that would benefit the other life that was living within her, drinking plenty of fluids.

They both could say that everyone was happy for them, except for one person: her Papa. After throwing a few insults and threats to her partner, he asked angrily, "Why did ever decided to partner up with _him_?!"

"Because, Papa!" She screamed back at him. "I _love_ him!" Those words were all he needed to keep going.

**Month 7**

Her hormones exploded out the roof, as if she's reverted back to the first month already. He was now in a living hell. Welcome to the thrid trimester.

Maka's been experiencing fatigue from sleepless night of kick and turning all around the bed, unable to close her eyes for one second without their baby kicking her from inside the womb. She's worn out, but she knows she has to keep going. Only two more months now. Her weight continues to skyrocket as the baby gets bigger, making her look like a balloon about to burst, and her face gets rounder. With an oversized stomach, Soul's forced to most of her work around the house; tasks like bending down and reaching have become impossible for her to manage. Only two more months now.

Maka suggested reading to him so that he'd be smart even before he left the womb. Soul said that it was a stupid idea, reading to your stomach, even though he knew he had a developed sense of hearing already. Music would be a better idea, he decided. So he played piano for Maka everyday for what felt like hours until his gentle melody lulled her to sleep, and she read child books at night under the soft amber light of the nightstand lamp next to Soul, both hoping that their son was able to hear. It was the most he could contribute. Only two more months now.

**Month 8**

One more month to go. He could feel the nervousness rising inside of him already, although he can't quite hear it over the loud chatter of the other girls from inside, where their Baby Shower was being held. No boys allowed, so he'd have to go somewhere else for the time being. "Ooh! Liz, don't tell me you actually got us _that _for him!" You could hear the over-excitement in Maka's voice.

"Only the best, honey," Liz giggled. "Now open the next one!" The hall that they rented was filled with girly laughter and chatter, silenced by the ripping of paper and followed by a gasp. Then, more giggles.

Soul rolled his eyes. He would never understand women, not ever. "Hey, you ready to go now? Don't keep me waiting like this!" BlackStar demanded, waiting at the end of the sidewalk for him. "Tsubaki's in there, too, you know!"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming."

"What's takin' you so long?!"

"Nothing...just listening."

"Hurry up already!"

Soul let out an exasperated sigh. Only one more month. Only one more month filled with contractions and bitchy whining and tossing and turning each night. There was a sudden ripple of silence among the girls, but then it was shattered by a mass of laughing and excitement. Only one more month of this, then he would get to finally see the face of his newborn son.

**Month 9**

Maka ran her hands slowly across the smooth surface of her bulging stomach with a peaceful smile on her face. It was anytime now that her water could break. With her belly at its biggest, she could feel contractions and shifted uncomfortably with them, to Soul's alarm. "Is it time now?" He would ask unsteadily.

She shook her head. "False alarm."

Any second of any minute of any hour of any day it could break. It scared the hell outta him, the feeling of not knowing when his baby will decided to break free of his mother's grasp and leave the safety of her body. When would it stop being a false alarm? Carrying a package that weighed 6 to 9 pounds and was 20 inches long was taking its toll on her body. She never knew the day that it would happen would come so fast.

On one lonely night, Maka was resting and reading at home and Soul was out shopping as they always had done. She was turning a page, stroking a sleeping Blair in her lap, until she felt a sudden jolt in her stomach. It was just another movement, she assured herself. But then another contraction and a sharp pain hit her, and she leaned forward. Maka stood up, knocking a startled cat of her lap and made a grab for the phone. It was happening. "Soul..." she began on the phone slowly. "I think my water just broke."

Soul, who had been waiting in line with a pile of grocery items in his hand, dropped them suddenly. "S-seriously...?" He muttered and glanced around. "H-hold on! I'll be right there!" He sprinted out the store, leaving behind a his things. "Stay on the line with me!" He barked at her while he struggled to turn the key to the engine of his car. "I'm on my way."

"Okay..." Maka stepped towards the bathroom and could feel a liquid running down her legs, which she knew as amniotic fluid from her broken sac. Her baby wanted out. "Just hurry, okay?"

He slammed his foot on the exhaust without second thought. "No problem."

* * *

The doctors escorted an unsure Maka to one of their rooms while he followed them hastily. She was clutching her stomach, the contractions intensifying with every step as they struggled to guide her, and let out a yelp of pain. Soul grabbed her hand, urging her on: "You're gonna be fine. This won't be a problem. You can make it."

They finally managed to lay her down on a bed and Maka's pain reached an all-time high. The contractions grew more distinct, more powerful as the baby moved. She was already in labor. Her breaths grew heavy and forceful, huffing air as if she was out of breath from doing a heavy exercise. A number of nurses came in and aided her. Their son was ready to get out. Soul stood quietly next to the bed, stroking her hand gently and crooning comforting words into her ears as her face contorted with pain. "Breath," the doctor ordered her. "Now push." She grunted, a rough noise that came from the pit of her stomach in between in gasp. "Keep pushing." Again she grunted and so did he.

Her hand squeezed deathly tight around his palm as she struggled and pushed and clenched her teeth and yelped while she labored on. Beads of sweat ran down her forehead from her efforts, and her olive-green eyes were only slits. "There, he's coming out now!" Maka's face relaxed, exhaustion setting in. "Just a little more." She gasped and made one finally push.

"C'mon, Maka," Soul urged. His partner's pained face managed a smile as she pushed again, desperately using up the last of her power.

"Here he is. Careful now!" Maka's hand went limp on his and her eyes squeezed shut. "There he is..." They wedged their newborn son and wrapped him around a small blanket. The doctor snipped off the umbilical cord and waited a few moments. Silence. Soul's heart was a drum in his chest, pounding away in his ears as they waited. He knew silence wasn't a good sign.

The man holding their baby listened in closer to his chest. There was a tiny squeak, which loudened into small, fragile sobs. He was alive and breathing and crying. "Soul..." Maka's weak voice penetrated his mind. "Where...where is he?"

Soul leaned down and landed a kiss on her forehead. "He's here, don't worry."

A nurse wiped the last of the blood off him and handed the small bundle of joy to Maka, her eyes barely open. The crying baby started to wail in her arms, and the new mother grinned slightly. Soul breathed slowly, in and out. He bent down to see his son up close: a new, innocent face with a small amount of ash-blonde strands sticking from the top of his head. His new child that would grow up to be strong, just like his Papa and Mama.

"He's beautiful, isn't he?" She whispered into his ear. Soul nodded and smiled softly, reaching out a hand to him. A smaller hand reached back, barely able to wrap itself around his finger.

The small feeling of joy bloomed in his chest. He was barely able to speak, captivated by the moment of first laying his eyes on his son, who was crying away in his mother's arms. A similar feeling to when he first laid his eyes on his girl. "I love him."

It's been seven years since they first decided to become partners, young and stupid, not knowing what kind of shit they'd be getting into. He never expected to be playing the Papa from now on. But now, wiping the poo from his little baby's bottom didn't seem too bad of a problem. There were better things in store.

* * *

**A/N: Merry belated Christmas and Happy early New Year's! Here's my gift to you guys. I didn't expect it to be this long, though lol. I had a lot of fun writing it, though most of it was researching on pregnancy and asking those awkward questions to your parents XD I did it all for you guys. I did it all for you. **

**~Amber**


End file.
